


Jake's Favorite Christmas Story: A Holiday Tale

by ThatMaxGent



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Adaptation, Christmas, Christmas Party, F/M, Gen, Gristmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-25
Updated: 2013-12-25
Packaged: 2018-01-06 00:57:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1100560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatMaxGent/pseuds/ThatMaxGent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A struggling writer (Jake English) has a fateful meeting with a girl at a Christmas party that changes his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jake's Favorite Christmas Story: A Holiday Tale

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [His Favorite Christmas Story](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/33013) by Capital Lights. 



> Salutations, ladies and gents!
> 
> What you find on your page at this moment in time is my first (major) endeavor in the world of fan fiction. It's a bit rough, I know, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.
> 
> The following is an adaptation of one of my favorite holiday songs and love songs in general, His Favorite Christmas Story by Capital Lights. I've always wanted to turn it into a short story and with a little inspiration, I've decided to incorporate my OTP into it because let's face it, most of us want to turn our favorite songs into an OTP story.
> 
> This fic comes with musical accompaniment, but is completely optional!
> 
> So without further ado, allow me to spin some seasonal yarn in light of the quickly approaching holiday
> 
> Take you elsewhere for a little while
> 
> A world much like ours, but a little different
> 
> 1937
> 
> Planet Earth
> 
> A little burg in Delaware

[[S]](http://samnash.bandcamp.com/track/peanuts)

The night before Christmas found world-weary writer Jake English in the town of Milford for the time being on a desperate trek through the states. Two months prior, Jake had put out an autobiographical piece about his time living on an island in the Pacific entitled  _16 Years an Adventurer._ Pouring out his heart and soul into what was to be his magnum opus, he had enumerated the awe-inspiring escapades of his isolated life afar, from early childhood until the untimely death of his grandmother that sent him on his way to the U.S. of A alone. Like with his previous works, Jake was able to publish his life story with ease, thanks to the help of a small publishing company that took him under their wing.

_16 Years an Adventurer_ was met with scathing reception in the press with many reviewers citing his incredulous tales of daring as "pointless and childish fiddle faddle." Apparently, hulking crab monsters weren't on the list of God's credible creations and the use of firearms by minors was frowned upon by "moral guardians." Nevertheless, a small following consisting of the imaginative and young accompanied by a decent number of sales was enough to bolster the spirits of the down-on-his-luck author.

In an attempt to make a big something of the small something he had been given, Jake set off to drive about the country to hopefully make waves about his life story in an unorthodox promotion campaign. Departing from New York City in a brown Buick Eight packed with boxes of fresh copies of  _16 Years an Adventurer_ , he embarked on his quest with high expectations.

At this point, he hadn't struck real gold, but as the ever-hopeful optimist that he was, Jake found himself ready for a Christmas miracle of some sort. Little did he know, he would find that miracle in the unlikeliest of stops: a townhouse.

Adorned with Christmas lights and bustling with chatter and activity, Jake couldn't help, but notice this center of effervescence as he found himself at an adjacent stoplight. It had been a long day of driving and considering the snow that was starting to pile up in town by the inch, he figured that loosening up for a little wingding would do him all the good in the world. Besides, it was Christmas Eve.

[[S]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r-m9R7_qEo)

As he pulled up next to the jiving townhouse, Jake almost immediately heard the band playing from the inside. The holiday noise abounded even outside the foyer. Patrons everywhere chewed the fat. The laughs were sincere and joyous. The clinks of glasses chimed in here and there. Almost everyone had their best digs on. Kids were with their parents, boys were with their gals, boys were with their boys, gals with their boys, and so on. It was undoubtedly the place to be for the night and the best part was that it seemed there was no invitation needed. 

After looking upon the scene with the widest grin, Jake leapt into the backseat of his car, putting himself in a silly, contorted position as he dug into his briefcase for his formal wear: an emerald green tailcoat tuxedo with a pair of gray, pinstripe trousers. As he changed, not once had it occurred to him that onlookers may have been watching and to be frank, he wouldn't've had a care in the world.

After a successful albeit awkward change of clothing, he stepped out of his car into the cold, which did not bother him much. Walking up to the entrance, Jake was instantly greeted by warm smiles and an array of unique salutations from people of all sorts, to which he responded with numerous, simple nods in return.  Truly, it was the place he needed to be.

The interior was a sight to behold. Tables upon tables were loaded with the holiday's signature eats ranging from honey-glazed hams to meticulously arranged gingerbread houses. Off to the side were stations for activities the children could partake in. At the center of it all, there was the dance floor with an enormous chandelier that hung above it. With masses of couples and the lively band of men playing, it was arguably the most packed place in the house.

Jake twitched at the sheer sensory overload that came upon him. He had never been to shindig of this festive multitude before. More than anything, he wanted to hop in and live the euphoric life he had only heard about, but his nerves got the best of him. Much as he wanted to dance and socialize, his stomach was practically bellowing for sustenance. It had been awhile since he had eaten.

He approached one of the tables topped with the vast array of food he's never tried before. Grabbing a plate, he began to fill it by hand with no bother to use the conveniently placed serving utensils. This elicited stares from fellow party goers and a barely audible giggle. As Jake looked around for the source of it, he heard a voice call for him.

"Well good god almighty, its novelist Jake English!"

Appearing beside him was a gentleman in a white, double-breasted suit and an orange tie. He was a few inches taller, sporting a peculiar pair of triangular glasses that immediately caught Jake's attention. As Jake turned to him, he outstretched his hand for a firm shake.

"Dirk Strider," he introduced himself as Jake took his hand. "I'm a big fan of your books. If you're wondering about these glasses, well..."

The Dirk fellow began to rant about his illustrious history of inventions as Jake withdrew his hand from the prolonged handshake and placed it on the table. He paid attention to his story for awhile until something caught his eye in the background.

Down from the stairs next to the band came a beautiful girl in a ravishing, red dress with matching lipstick and pumps. She wore a white pearl necklace that seemed to reflect the light of the chandelier into Jake's eyes on and off as she made her descent. Everything about her was stunning and Jake wouldn't've been surprised if she was the life of the party to top it all off.

He began tapping Dirk's shoulder repeatedly to interrupt his enumeration of achievements and pointed the girl out.

"Hey p-p-pal," Jake started shakily, "would you happen to know that d-dame over there, perchance?"

Dirk promptly turned around, resting the bottom of his palm on the tips of his glasses as he surveyed the area before turning back to Jake.

"You mean the girl in the red?" he asked with a thumb pointing over his shoulder.

Jake nodded shyly as he picked up his plate off the table with a light blush. Dirk chuckled lightly.

"Can't say I have, big guy. She's quite the looker, I'll admit. Got the hots for her?"

Jake proceeded to flush fully, darting past Dirk for the refreshments at the very end of the long table, effectively losing him in the crowd. As he began to pour himself a drink, he looked for the girl in red once more. This time, she had taken a seat near one of the sides bordering the dance floor by herself, hands folded neatly with one on top of the other as she looked upon the many dancing with a gaping mouth of wonderment. Jake himself found his jaw lowering into a similar position as he began to pour punch on his sleeve.

\---

[[S]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrKzgrlIqZg)

Half an hour passed and Jake was sitting on his lonesome after finishing his heaping plate of Christmas delights. He hadn't seen Dirk again and the band had been replaced with a group of carolers, but across from him on the far side of the dance floor still sat the nameless, shining apple of his eye, twiddling her fingers with the enthusiasm previously sported nowhere to be found. Something was eating at her just like the urge to approach her was eating at Jake. His stomach was in knots. He had to say something to her soon lest she went up and left because of the discomfiting thoughts that plagued her.

Jake looked up at the grandfather's clock behind. It was nearly a quarter til eleven. He figured any minute now, the girl would leave for a curfew or something unless she didn't have a curfew. He thought she didn't look anymore than two years his junior. She had to be at least 18, or 19 like he was.

Thoughts like this raged in his head for awhile. He felt his forehead begin to swell up. It was time for him to make his move. Off he went from his chair to wade through the slow-dancing couples on the dance floor, tripping over several feet and apologizing for every single one. Soon enough he reached the girl, nearly falling at her feet, but regaining his balance at the last second to stand tall before her. That was enough to surprise her and grab her attention. 

There they were at last, face to face. Upon closer inspection, Jake noticed that her lipstick was just as red as her dress and pumps. What's more was that her glasses were a light blue, perfectly complimenting her gorgeous eyes. He would've stared into them for an eternity had they possessed that sort of endurance, but as it stood, they were only in a fleeting moment. He had to say something.

"Um...hello..." Jake greeted her shyly, being the first one to break eye contact.

"Hiya," she responded quietly, averting her gaze as well.

"I...uh...noticed you were...sitting here on your lonesome, so...do you want to dance?"

Jake shrugged with a desperate grin that just cried for help. His heart pounded away lightly as he waited for the answer. The girl stared at him with a dumbfounded expression until her lips slowly formed a light smile.

"I...I'd love to..."

She had a noticeable, light blush when she stood to her feet. Jake's cheek flushed in a similar matter, causing him to turn away as soon as he noticed, taking her hand in his absentmindedly. He felt her grasping it lightly, prompting him to look back at her who was looking to the side once more. They seemed to have a common love for tangents. Jake laughed and so did the girl. The jitters were dispelled, the smiles were wide, and they were ready to have a good time.

After finding room in the middle of the slow-dancing crowd, the girl turned Jake around and slowly wrapped her arms around his neck. He stood dead in his track and his eyes began to dark back and forth.

"Um...how do I-"

The girl chortled loudly, eliciting stares from the surrounding couples. The two looked nervously about them before returning to lock their eyes once more as they both chuckled lightly.

"Here," she whispered, sliding her hands down his arms to his own hands to place them on her sides before returning them to their original position.

[[S]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3dQBhumuMs)

The two began to sway lightly to the soothing carols. When their eyes didn't wander elsewhere out of nervousness, they were on each other. When they were on each other, they smiled like kids after unwrapping the gifts they always wanted for Christmas, like they had the most pleasant surprise on the warm morning many have looked forward to all year.

Conversation became easier from then on. As they danced the night away, they began to talk about their lives outside the party. Jake told of his adventures in the Pacific and not a single time did the girl look back at him in disbelief. She just stared into his green eyes in wonder, begging questions about his firearms and how hard it was to swing from a branch.

"You were quite the adventurer a bit ago, weren't you?" she quipped with a light chuckle.

Jake tilted his head. "Were? Still am, m'dear!"

"What makes you say that?"

"Well when you're constantly traversing any plain, mountain, or road on any continent, still discovering things previously left undiscovered, I think it's pretty safe to say that I've plenty adventure left ahead of me!"

"Fair enough, I suppose! Hoohoo!"

Strangely enough, the girl found herself more interested in Jake's  adventure in his transition into American culture and how long it took for him to get how things worked. Moving on without his only guardian wasn't a walk in the park and there were still some facets of "normal living" he had yet to explore. She offered her assistance in the comprehension of things he still didn't understand like the science behind cakes, the production of feature films, and how to tell if a dame had a thing for him or not. She explained to him everything she could to the best of her knowledge.

When it came to her turn, the girl introduced herself as a quaint, small town girl living with her father. She had lived in Milford all her life, working for Betty Crocker herself while studying medicine on her downtime. She shared with him her hopes of one day moving West and, given her esteemed position within its ranks, taking over the Betty Crocker company. Jake was baffled. Here he danced with what could be considered royalty, a practical heiress to a corporate throne, on the night of Christmas Eve.

They had only stepped on each other's feet thrice that night on account that they were lost in each other's eyes or stories or both. Every fear that had previously encompassed Jake's mind melted away. He had made the biggest gamble of his entire life, and more so than any other risk he had ever made on the island, this one had the biggest payoff as well. The night was simple and sweet and exactly what he needed after travelling for hundreds of miles alone. Far as he knew, they were both thousands of miles away from any worry in the world. They didn't even know each other's names and yet they were having the time of their life that no one else they knew could provide. They were the luckiest people in the world.

[[S]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b33vziA9FIQ)

As fate would have it, their luck would run out. Not even half an hour til Christmas, the girl stopped swaying as she stayed her gaze on the very staircase she came down earlier. Taking notice, Jake looked over as well. A group of men and women with Crocker-themed clothing and nametags were walking down, surveying the entire crowd as they descended slowly. They were looking for her.

As they looked back at each other, Jake noticed the immediate distress that came over her as her search party neared closer to her. He knew immediately she wasn't supposed to be there. They both knew she had to go.

From her dejected frown, she quickly managed a smile out of her quivering lips. You could tell she was on the verge of tears, but her smile was able to win out in the end by a hare. She hugged him very tightly and briefly before putting her hand to his cheek and looking into his eyes once more.

"Thank you," she whispered and then placed her other hand on his cheek and proceeded to kiss him...hard. Despite all its brevity, it lasted a lot longer in Jake's head.

And like that, she parted from him and bolted through the crowd for the front door. After a dazed few seconds, Jake attempted to catch up after her.

"Wait!" he yelped desperately as he made a futile venture through the crowd as best as he could, pressing people aside and jumping desperately like a dog. "I didn't catch your name!"

By the time he reached the way he came, she was already gone. Not a single trace left of her. Badly as he wanted to turn around and ask the co-workers seeking her out, he knew doing so would most likely compromise her position in the company and possibly get her into some trouble. He didn't want her loyalty and dedication to go to waste, not after all she had shared with him about her dreams and aspirations.

Jake walked slowly out into the cold of night and took several deep sighs, his breath visible. There were no longer any patrons loitering outside the door. From inside, he heard the people counting down the very seconds til Christmas.

"FIVE...FOUR...THREE...TWO..."

The interior exploded with cheering and joyous noise as he stood silently, looking back through those big doors, wishing he was in there with that girl with no name. Warranted as he was to be frustrated and sad, he simply smiled as two tears dripped down his face.

In one precious little moment, he was able to forget about the world, forget about his financial worries, and forget about his failing writing career. For the first time since his grandmother left him, he had a real and intimate experience with another human being, someone who certainly wanted an escape as much as he did. They got that escape, a memory that would last him a lifetime. It was the night he was visited by angel.

\---

[[S]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN7LW0Y00kE)

Three years later, Jake English found himself on the road back from another "unorthodox promotion campaign." Still no big breakthrough and he was starting to run out of ideas. By this time, he was completely comfortable with being alone, his only company the road and his stops where they lay. As he returned to New York, he decided to have his Christmas dinner at the local diner just half an hour from his home. He had made enough money on his campaign from five face-to-face purchases to get him a warm meal.

Sitting inside, he was greeted by a blonde, waitress with a gleam in her eye. As she approached him slowly, Jake grinned right back, figuring in his head she knew who he was or at least what he was.

"Hehehiya there, darlin!" she greeted warmly as she leaned on the table before slipping onto the floor and picking herself back up. "Mah names Roxyyyyyyyyyy and I'll be takin yer order t'day!"

Jake held back a light snicker. He didn't want to be rude, but the girl was endearing to say the least. He couldn't tell if she was a bit intoxicated or just plain ditsy. Whatever the case was, Jake smiled and named off the items that would form his Christmas dinner. As she jotted down each of them, he was able to see Roxy's writing. A few words had been misspelled beyond recognition. Jake held in his writer instincts and made not a peep as she trotted back to the kitchen to get her order made.

Moments later, she returned with the entire order on a large platter, maintaining a steady balance she lay everything out on the table. Jake nodded in thanks and began to eat.

As he was finishing his last bite, Roxy sat down across from him and took his hands to his astonishment.

"So youza writer there, sir?" she asked, noticeably better with her words.

"That's correct, lass! Nothing too big, but I do well enough to get by."

"Can ya shed a little holiday cheer for a gal that just got off her shift?"

Jake chuckled and withdrew his hands, clasping them together. There was only one holiday story he had and he could share it everyday of his life if he wanted to. It was his favorite Christmas story if not his favorite story from his travels. Of course, he told Roxy about The Girl With No Name.

He told the story in great detail as if it all happened yesterday. He described the snow, the large townhouse in all it's holiday splendor as best as he could, the eccentric inventor with the triangular glasses, and the girl that would make his night.

Jake even shared the things that the girl had shared with her. At this, Roxy's face lit up. Apparently, she absolutely adored Betty Crocker products and made rum cake with them every year with her mother. This raised an eyebrow out of Jake as it just occurred to him that she may or may not be old enough to be partaking in such drinks.

When he was finished with his story, Roxy clapped loud enough for the entire diner to hear as she began to tear up.

"Wow, Jakey, that was a bootyful story you got. Thanks for sharing!"

She kissed his cheek, causing an instantaneous blush, and headed for the back of the diner. Before she fully disappeared, she stopped, turned around, and returned to Jake's side.

"Y'know, you should probably write a book about that or some'n. Jus sayin."

[[S]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXbr3yZh3Ec)

And so he did.  _The Girl With No Name_ would be the project he would start on right away. For months until the next Christmas, he wrote and rewrote the same story in different styles, making sure it was perfect and did his experience justice. Every few weeks, he would stop by the same diner to visit Roxy and keep her up to date with his writing endeavors. The two formed a very close friendship, one that even convinced Roxy to quit her job and join Jake's publishing company.

In the end, the two produced two different versions of the same story: a non-fiction novella for the older audience and a storybook for the children. In addition to the planning for release, Jake also prepared a team of local New York drivers to form a 10-pronged, cross-country, promotional campaign. He was going all out with complete faith that his story would become a hit.

Of course, it did.

November 30th of 1941 saw the release of  _The Girl With No Name._ Masses of readers, children, and critics alike raved about "the Christmas story of the generation." The books sold thousands as the sales rapidly extended towards the west. By the time it spread to every state in the continent, Jake had enough money to buy himself a new house and relax for the rest of his life. He could have if he wanted to, but of course, it wasn't his style.

Instead, he bought the best car in the market and dedicated the rest of his life, going across the United States, telling his stories new and old to towns everywhere as Roxy took residence of his apartment. Many would hear about his exploits back on the island in the Pacific, but the main event of every visit in a town was the personal retelling of the Christmas dance party he never knew well. Nationwide, we was known as "The Christmas Story Telling Travelling Man."

As the years went by, he went from town to town, state to state, often wondering where that girl was, if she had gotten married, if she was still alive and so forth. Somewhere in the world, he thought, she was hearing their story told elsewhere and he wondered how she was responding to it all, even wondering if she recognized that it was him who wrote. Heck, it was a wonder if she read either of the books at all. It was Jake's hope that one day he would find her on the road and thank her for the story that changed his life and maybe even marry her and have a couple of kids.

At the age of 53, he finally figured it was time to settle down and stop searching. The world would not know of his retirement or even his whereabouts, but his books would still be read, especially  _The Girl With No Name._ For the rest of his days, Jake would live a quiet life in a small town in Washington, spending them recounting the days of his life in a small journal he kept as well as sitting out on his porch, conversing with passersby. Every year for Christmas Eve, the neighborhood kids would gather in house to hear about the story their parents grew up hearing and took to loving that very story. They even dedicated themselves to memorizing the story by heart and even made a little tune they would sing every night before they left to return to their families:

_He said I met her up in Delaware in 1937_   
_She was wearing red lipstick to match her pretty dress_   
_December 24th at a quarter till eleven is when I finally gained the courage to ask her to dance_

This was Jake's life and even as technology changed, kids grew, people moved in and out of his life, he always did the same thing. He lived with no one else, hardly left the house, and he didn't seek to find another half. Although it was a lonely life, alll was well with his soul and he was happy, only wishing to see that girl again someday.

[[S]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4uP32mnAjY)

At age 74, Jake found that his days were numbered. At the end of November, he was placed in the local hospital as his health began to diminish at an alarming rate. Through it all, he kept his smile going day to day as the kids he spent his life with along with their children visited him, sharing their wishes for his well-being and even singing the tune he had grown to love.

One day, to his utter astonishment, Jake was visited by Roxy who was able to find him after all these years. With her was, wouldn't you know it, a fellow with triangular glasses by the name of Dirk. The two had settled down in New York after meeting at a Christmas party, got hitched, and had two bright youngsters, grown and waiting for them in California to spend the holidays. The couple stayed for a few days, dropping by every so often to visit their old friend before setting off to meet their children. Jake thanked Roxy for all her help and shared one last hug.

When he wasn't being visited, a little old nurse stood by his side, tending to his needs and having conversations about the news. She would listen intently with a light smile whenever Jake felt the need to go on a rant about his accolades and his experiences before settling down. It helped him feel young again and happy knowing that someone was there to listen.

The days went by and less and less people would stop visiting. Everyone was busy for the holidays and it saddened Jake that he could not be among the children he held dear this year. So everyday, he spent his time reading his old books, procuring them from staff members when he got the time to talk to them and request them. He got a laugh out of a lot of them, mostly his "horrid"  _16 Years an Adventurer_. Some nights, he laughed until he cried  tears of joy as he reminisced about his younger years, thankful for every single moment and event that occurred in his years of existence.

Soon came Christmas time once again and old man Jake was on his lonesome in a hospital bed. He was the weakest he had ever been. His breaths grew fewer and his eyes began to fail him. Whenever he tried to tell the little old nurse stories, his memory began to fail him, upsetting him greatly when he forgot details. Despite this, the little old nurse was there holding his hand through it all, assuring him that everything was going to be okay.

Jake's hour grew closer and his breaths shorter. He was going out on the holiday he loved most, but at least he wasn't going alone for the nurse stood ever beside him.

He turned to her and used what breath he could gather to make one last request:

"M'am...can you...sh-share...a little holiday cheer?"

One more story was all he wanted to hear before he went.

The little old nurse smiled lightly, sitting at his bedside and leaned over to brush what was left of his hair lightly with her hand. This was the closest they had ever been. Upon inspection with his failing eyes, Jake was able to finally make out the name on her nametag: Jane.

As Jake began to take his last breaths, tears filled his eyes as Jane told him that one last story: his favorite Christmas story.

"I met him...up in Delaware...in 1937...though I never caught his name. He was a traveling man. On December 24th...at a quarter till eleven..."

She paused. He was gone, but nevertheless, she got what he needed to hear and finished away after kissing his forehead.

"...I'm so glad he got the courage to ask me to dance."[  
](http://www.metrolyrics.com/his-favorite-christmas-story-lyrics-capital-lights.html#ixzz2oRtYC1NU)

\---

[[S]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxPENnSuNQw)

**The End**

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked this story, be sure to share some love and comments with me on my Tumblr @thepagejakeenglish. Thanks and have a Merry Christmas!


End file.
